Dental attachment for movable-removable bridgework



M COHEN DENTAL ATTACHMENT FOR MOVABLE REMOVABLE BRIDGEWORK Filed Dec 2,1922 INVENTOR I TTh'LCon CQhen BY I . Witnesses W. H'M

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1924.v

uarreo I MILTON COHEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOR TO i-FaDLERENGINEERING COMPANY,

OF CORONA, LONG ISLAND, NEW-J YORK, A GOFAFtTNERST-LIIP OF NEW YORK.

DENTAL ATTACHMENT FOR MOVABLE-REMOVABLE BRIDGEWORK.

Application filed December 2, Serial No. 604,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON COHEN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DentalAttachments for Movable- Removable Bridgework, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in the constructionof the dental attachments used for supporting movable-removablebridgework dentures in the mouth.

That branch of dentistry known as movable-removable bridgework has forits purpose the restoration of one or more missing teeth, whereby theartificial removable bridge denture that is fabricated by the dentaloperator to replace the missing tooth or teeth, is supported in themouth in a restricted movable relationship to its stationary abutments,and is readily removed from the mouth, at will. The dental attachmentforming the substance of this in vention, and composed of a male memberthat is adapted to be permanently mounted on the artificial removabledenture, and a female member that is adapted to be permanently supportedon astationary tooth in the mouth, termed an abutment, is the meanswhereby the artificial removable bridge denture is supported in themouth.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a dental attachmentfor movableremovable bridgework wherein the provision made for holdingthe removable bridge denture against unintentional dislodgment,

is supplied by the tension ability possessed by the male member of theattachment, by reason of the slot arrangement cut therein. Anotherprincipal aim of my invention is to provide such a construction for themale member of my attachment, that there will be permitted a restrlctedmovability for the removable bridge denture while held on its abutmentsin the mouth, relative to the stationary supporting abutments. A furtherobject of my invention is toprovide a dental attachment for movably andremovably supporting an artificial bridge denture in the mouth, that issimple in construction and positive in its functioning.

indicate corresponding parts in the various views.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the female member of theattachment as used with the triangular shaped'male me1n her body.

Flg. 2 1s a perspective view illustrating my proposed method ofconstruction for the male member of the attachment, embodying atriangular shaped male member body.

Fig. is a perspective View, taken from the side opposite to that shownin. Fig. 2, illustrating my proposed method of con struction for themale member of the attachment, embodying a triangular shaped male memberbody.

Fig. 4: is a view in elevation of the assembly of the male and femalemembers of the attachment, embodying a triangular shaped male memberbody,'with a portion of the female member cut out.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing'the female member of the attachmentas used with an oval shaped male member body.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating my proposed method ofconstruction for the male member of the attachment, embodying an ovalshaped male member body.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View, taken from the opposite side tothat shownin Fig. 6, illustrating my proposed method of construction for themalemember of the attachment, embodying an oval shaped male member body.

Fig, 8 is a perspective view showing the female member of the attachmentas used with a rectangular shaped male member body.

Fig. 9 is perspective view illustrating my proposed method of constructin for sition between its abutments.

all

l, I show the female member of t to he used vith. the triangular shap :lmale member body. and composed of the flat back wall 1 with the sidesformed thereto at equal angles, this angle to be less than degrees. Thebottom 3 of the female member is flat, and is formed to the flat backwall 1, at right angles. The formation oi? the female member is such asto produce a box-form, corresponding to the form of the body of the malemember, the entire box-formed female member being fabricated preferablyof one piece, as this member is subjected to great heat while it isfixed in position on the abutment tooth.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, wherein I illustrate a male member with atiangular shaped body, I show this trian 'ula. shaped body l formedintegral with the web 5, and at right angles thereto. The body 4 is madeto taper from the. top very slightly, and may also be formed to the web5 at any angle other than a right angle.

The body 4 of the male men'iber, refer ence being had to Figures 2, 3,t, 6. 2', 9 and in the attach 10, in each instance is provided with theslots 6 and '7, extending longitudinally down from the top of the bodyover the greater part of its length, and of very narrow width, i. e., afew thousandths of an inch. These slots 6 and 7 are cut transversely andcompletely across the body, being positioned one on each side of thelongitudinal transverse plane through the center of the body.

Thus, when the male in mber made to engage within the female member, thebody l of the male member will be wedged and 7 held within the enclosureof the female 1nemher by the binding action of the upper lateral ends ofthe body 4, against the corresponding portion of the sides 2. of thefemale member. This binding action of the upper lateral ends of the bodyel is existent by virtue of the yield or give of these lateral ends,across the areas of the corresponding slots 6 and 7. This restrainingtension against dislodgment possessel by the male member, by virtue ofthe existence of the 'slots (land 7 and therefore by the removablebridge denture to which the male member is fixedly supported, is such asto overcome the unintentional dislodging tendencies during masticationand similar natural actions. still permitting the removable bridgedenture to be removed from the mouth, at will.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will. be seen that the lower portion of the malemember body does not make contact, laterally, with the correspondinginner surface of the female member. The object of this is to give to themale member, and so to the removable bridge denture, a restrictedrocking movement due to the stress of mastication, corresponding to thenatural tooth movement durng mastication. However, this l'QSL ictezlocl'ing movement of the bridge denti e luring mastication, takes placein. one plane onl i. e., in the plane parallel to the lateral lane'ofthe body a.

I have shown, in each case, the slots (3 and to be equal in length, thishaving been done arbitrarily. Again, in each of the aforementionedinstances, 1 have also shown. arbitrarily, the slots 6 and 7 to beformed parallel to each other, and in planes parallel to the transverseplane through the center of the body It may be found more dosirable, in.certain cases, to cut the slots 6 and 7 longitudinally through the bodyl. so that their planes form similar angles with the transverse planethrough the center of the body. It is evident for mechanical reasons, topreferably position the slots 6 and T in planes proximally to thetransverse plane through the center of the body l, for then the greaterportions of the body, i. e., those portions between the slots and thelateral extremities of the body, will be tensioned when the body. ismade to engage witl the female member.

Referring now to Fig. 11, I have illustr ed an artificial removablebridge denture. composed of an artificial first molar S and anartificial second bic'uspid 9, rigidly mounted on the metallic saddlestructure 10, the whole reniuovable bridge denture being removablysupported, in the mouth, on andbetween the natural second molar 11 andnatural. first 'bicuspid 12, the latter two teeth acting as theabutments for the bridge denture. l have also assumed two attachments tobe used for supporting this removable bridge denture in the mouth. Themale members of the attachments permanently mounted, generally by theuse of solder, on the saddle structure 10, one at each of its lateralextremities, and adjacent to the surfaces of the two artificialteeth.The two female members of the attachn'ients would then be supported, oneon each abutment tooth, by being permanently mounted, generally by theuse of solder also, in the metallic inlays 13, one seated in eachabutment tooth. The method employed for mounting the male and femalemembers of the attachments on the saddle structure and in the inlays, respectively, is understood. to be consistent all) with the propertechnique for this branch of dentistry, and is well known to thoseskilled in this art and technique.

The removable bridge denture is placed in the month, between itsabutments, by permitting the male members of the attachments on thebridge denture saddle structure to engage within the correspondingfemale members on the abutments, the body of each male member findingaccess into its female member only from the top, i. e., occlusally.After the removable bridge denture has been placed in position betweenits abutments in the mouth, it is so held against unintentionaldislodgment, by the tensioning action due to the slot arrangement in thebody of each male member. The extent of this tensioning abilitypossessed by the male members, which can be adjusted, i. e., increasedor decreased by increasing or decreasing the width of the slots 6 and 7respectively, should be such as to hold the removable bridge denture inposition in the mouth, against the dislodging tendencies due tomastication and similar natural causes, but such as to permit the bridgedenture to be readily removed from the mouth, at will.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 8 and4: the embodiment of my invention, in the method of dental attachmentconstruction, in a triangular shaped attachment. Also in Fig ures 5, 6and 7, I have illustrated the embodiment of my method of attachmentconstruction in an oval shaped attachment, while in Figures 8, 9 and 10,the embodiment is illustrated in a rectangular shaped attachment.Although I have illustrated the embodiment of my invention, in themethod of dental attachment construction, in only three diiferent shapesor forms, I wish to set forth that the shape or form of the attachmentembodying my invention is of secondary importance, the embodiment beingcapable of employment in practically any type of dental attachment forremovable bridgework, regardless of its form or shape. In Fig. 11, Ihave illustrated the attachment as used between the first and secondmolars triangular in shape, while the one as used between the first andsecond bicuspids oval in shape, showing that two different shapedattachments, embodying my invention, can be readily used on the samebridge denture.

In the foregoing I have proposed that the slots 6 and 7 be made as greatin length as possible, consistent with the strength of the material,because it is often necessary to cut down the height of the male andfemale members of the attachments in order to accommodate a tooth of lowheight. In fact, the slots should be made to extend over such a lengthof the male member, as to permit the tire pp r half of the male mem erto be cut away, and still have the remaining half function with thesameresults as if the whole member were used. I have shown, in eachinstance, the slots as extending in straight lines, both longitudinallyand transversely, just for convenience,-these slots being formed just asreadily in shape of a curve or angle. The material for fabricating, bothmembers of the attachment, could be any non-corrosive metal, preferably,

platinum, palladium, gold, alloys. I

' IVhile I have herein illustrated and described my invention inconsiderable detail,

etc., or I their I wish to set forth that modifications and changesthereof may be readily resorted to the said body having cut therein twoslots extending longitudinally over the greater part of its length anddisposed in planes transversely of the body one on each side of itscentral transverse plane; the said body being adapted to engage withinthe said jacket member and act as the means for holding the removablebridge denture on its abutments in the mouth against unintentionaldislodgment, and in movable relationship to the said abutments.

2. In a dental attachment for removable bridge dentures, an open topbox-formed acket member positioned with a longitudinal breach, and alinking member, the said linking member comprising a web for permanentlyanchoring the linking member to the removable bridge denture and adaptedto be disposed vertically movable in the breach of the said acketmember, and a substantially solid body element formed correspondingly toengage within the said jacket member. the said body element having outcompletely across its section a plurality of parallel slots extendinglongitudinally down from the top the greater part of its length, thesaid slots being disposed in planes transversing the body section and onboth sides of the transverse plane through the center of the body.

3. A dental attachment for movable-removable bridgework, composing aboxformed jacket member adapted to be rigidly supported on an abutmenttooth in the mouth, and a linking member adapted to be permanentlysupported on the artificial removable bridge denture, the said linkingmember comprising a solid body element ta pered somewhat towards itslower extremity and a Web element formed at a right angle thereto, thesaid body element having positioned therethrough two slots extendinglongitudinally for the greater part of its length one on each side ofthe central transverse plane through body and Web; the said body elementbeing adaptedly shaped to engage Within the said acket member andprovide by virtue of its slot arrangement, the tensioning means againstunintentional dislodgment of the removable bridge from its abutments, atthe same time providing a restricted movability or rocking movement forthe removable bridge While so held.

at. In a removable bridge denture attachment of the character described,the combination of a symmetrically shaped boxformed member adapted to bepermanently attached to an abutment tooth-in the mouth, and a linkingmember for seating the removable denture in the mouth, the said linkingmember comprising a Web element and a body element formed integrally andat an angle to each other, the said body element having cut transverselytherethrough two slots not extending the 'full length thereof, each ofthe said slots being disposed in planes forming With the transverseplane through the center of the said body element an angle other than astraight angle (180 clegrees) one on each side of the said centraltransverse plane through the body element and proximally thereto.

MILTON COHEN.

